All my desktop icons disappeared from my Windows 7 desktop

Anonymous
2009-11-30T08:07:29+00:00

I created several icons on the desktops of 4 computers after clean installed the computers with Windows 7 Profession (either with 32 bit or 64 bit versions). After a few days, some of the desktop icons disappear. However, when I click on the Desktop toolbar at the bottom of the Windows desktop, the icons that disappeared from the desktop were still present and available in the Desktop toolbar listing. I saw many users have the similar problem on the Internet but no proper solution for the problem. Any suggestion for the fix.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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Anonymous
2010-03-26T16:06:25+00:00

There is an issue with an application called InfraRecorder, this is a CD\DVD recording software. When you install this software the Windows option to Show Desktop Icons is unselected. To Fix this just turn that option back on. To turn the option back on , do this:

  1. Right click the desktop
  2. Select View -> Show Desktop Icon
  3. Make sure the option is checked.

I hope this helps.

Kevin


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Anonymous
2010-02-21T11:51:42+00:00

Hi guys,

I found the cause of the misteriously disappearing Windows 7 desktop icons and the reason why Show desktop icons now and then gets unchecked.

It's INFRARECORDER !! Try for yourselves, when you start Infrarecorder and close it again, go have a look at "Show desktop icons", it is unchecked (but the icons are still  there). Check it on again and start Infrarecorder.... it is unchecked again.

This Windows 7 "bug" is irritating me since the beginning and now I found the cause: It's Infrarecorder which is causing this problem.

Test it and please let me know and spread the news :-)

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-06-28T16:35:42+00:00

    Great answer, fixed my problem. Many thanks.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-06-18T16:44:02+00:00

    I am new to this, so please be patient. I have the same problem with my icons - they have disappeared.  Two things here:

    1. When I right click on desktop, one of the options IS NOT "Show Desktop Icon" and
    2. I found my icons hidden on the bottom right side of my computer where the sound, virus protection, etc, are located.

    I tried dragging the  "Desktop" icon from the corner on to the desktop, but it did not work.

    What's more, I do not even know where the InfraRecorder application is located.

    Any suggestions on how to get my icons back?

    Also, where is that darn InfraRecorder any way?

    Thanks,

    Evie2EOEO

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-06-11T20:52:52+00:00

    Windows 7 has a cleanup routine that if more than 3 desktop icons are invalid due to missing program, not connected, or for other reasons, or some such, Win 7 deletes desktop icons to clean up.  This seems to happen after Saturday night whenever the PC is brought up, or just running.  This is known ridiculous  decision of Microsoft that they never fixed because Service Pack 2 never came out so they would not have to extend Windows 7 support expiration. 

    I had desktop icons missing, and did the hotfixes, and added the registry keys to prevent the two types of cleanup, and so did my friend, and all desktop icons remain now.  See my previous posts in this and other threads about this.  I have included one below.  This is a known crazy issue you can google and find whole articles about it.  Good Luck!

    The solution of turning off the diagnostic was outdated years ago by a hotfix and registry update (or fixits), to only stop the icon missing problem.  Turning off a possibly major function, might not be the best for everyone.

    See KB2642357, and be sure to run the hotfix at the top in blue box before running the fixits, or doing the registry updates.  It will send an email with the link to the hotfox, but comments in other solutions give the link if you can't wait for the email.

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